Storage unit for ice and the like



Jan. 12, 1965 c. P. MAQUELIN 3,155,240

STORAGE UNIT FOR ICE AND THE LIKE Filed March 3, 1964 2 sheets-sheet 1 Ayma a-mm? wimma ATTORNEY Jan. 12, 1965 I 3. MAQUELIN 3,165,240

STORAGE UNIT FOR ICE AND THE LIKE 2 SheetsSheec 2 Fiied March 5, 1964 FIG. 6

r/ 1 I Z$// v INVENTOR. CORNELIUS I? MAOUEUN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,165,240 STORAGE UNIT FOR ICE AND THE LIKE Cornelius P. Maquelin, Phillipsburg, N.J., assignor to Follett Corporation, Phillipsburg, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 349,075 12 Claims. (Cl. 222457) This invention relates to the art of storage units and, more particularly, to a storage unit for ice and the like having an improved door construction to facilitate the handling and withdrawal of material stored therein.

The storage unit of this invention has wide application and various uses. It is especially useful for storing sundered ice or ice in the form of small cubes or other geometric configurations. cussion and the detailed description that follows are directed, by way of example, to a unit according to this invention for storing ice.

An ice storage bin usually comprises a thermally insulated cabinet for receiving and storing ice without refrigeration. Ice in sundered, cube or other form is manufactured by a suitable ice-making machine which may be mounted on the top of the bin and which discharges the ice directly into the bin by way of a fill opening. Alternatively, the ice-making machine may be independent of the bin, in which case the ice is introduced into the bin manually or in any other manner known to the art. Commer-' cial type storage bins are designed to hold anywhere from 100 to 10,000 pounds of ice. Such bins are employed in any business having a need for ice in a readily usable form, including restaurants, hospitals, supermarkets, food service facilities, food packaging installations and chemical plants. The ice, as required, is removed from the bin by an individual. Ice requirements at a particular time may vary from a relatively small amount, such as a glassfulor a scoopfull, to a considerably larger amount, such as one or more shovelfulls. In any case, access to the ice within the bin is by way of a withdrawal opening that is normally closed by a door arrangement.

Accordingly, the ensuing distion are that the ice is diflicult to reach and the ice can spill out of the openings, depending on the position of the door and the efiective size of the opening. A number of attempts have been made to overcome these objections without success.

As is well known to the art, particles or pieces of ice within the bin frequently congeal and form ice clusters that create objectionable bridges or jams within the bin. Such clusters must be broken up with the aid of a stick, pick or other instrumentality and, when broken up, the ice spills through the opening in arrangements where the door is at the bottom of the bin. Even in the case of bins having the door at or near the top, it is awkward and tedious to break up ice jams within the bins in the manner mentioned above.

My present invention eliminates the referred-to difliculties and objections and provides a construction embodying Present day ice storage bins are equipped with a variety bin. This arrangement is primarily used when ice is re-' moved in small quantities (by a scoop or a glass). The bin should not be too tall for the reason that, when the level of the ice is low in' the bin, it is diflicult to reach the ice near the bottom. Another disadvantage is that the ice near the top, which is the freshest ice admitted into the bin, is always removed first. As a consequence, the ice at the bottom may remain in the bin for a prolonged period of time before it is used. Another disadvantage is any foreign material that is spilled, i.e. inadvertently admitted into the bin through the door opening will con taminate all of the ice in the bin. A further disadvantage resides in the fact that large quantities of ice are diliicult to remove at one time, since the door opening is too high for normal working height of a person using a shovel.

In other present day ice storage bins theaccess openings are provided at the bottom of the bin front wall. In such bins, the opening is usually covered by a refrigerator type door which swings to open position about a vertical axis. The principal disadvantages of this type of construca number of worthwhile improvements and advantages over present day constructions, as will be evident to persons trained in the art from the detailed description appearing further along herein.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a storage unit with an improved door arrangement for facilitating the handling and removal of material from its interior, as required, regardless of the level of the material in the unit.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a storage unit for ice or the like having a double door arrangement, consisting of an outer door and an inner door, the latter being adapted to control downward flow of ice in the bin and to vary the effective size of the opening through which ice is removed from the bin.

A further object of the invention is to provide a storage bin for ice and the like having a double door arrangement, consisting of an outer door and an inner door, the inner door serving the dual functions of a ramp or baflle to properly direct downward movement of the ice and of a battering means for breaking ice bridges or jams due to congealed ice clusters. 7

A still further object of the invention is to provide a storage unit of the character indicated that is simple in design; that is study and durable in construction; that is reasonable in manufacturing, installation and maintenance costs; and that is capable of performing its intended functions in an entirely satisfactory manner. I

The enumerated objects and additional objects, together with the advantages of the invention, will be readily understood by persons trained in the art from the following detailed description and the annexed drawings which describe and illustrate a preferred storage unit construction embodying this invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a storage unit according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a View taken along staggered line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of FIG. 2 and illustrates the doors of the storage unit in another relative position, i.e. in fully open position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an isometric view further illustrating one relative position of certain parts that are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Referring in tially to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the storage unit illustrated therein comprises an ice storage bin B for containing a supply of small pieces of ice I. The storage bin is in the form of a cabinet and includes a front wall 10, a rear wall 11, a pair'of side walls 12, a bottom wall 13 and a top wall 14. Depending from the corners of the bottom wall are legs 15. The bottom wall is equipped with a connection 16 for draining accumulated water. The top wall is provided with an opening (not shown) having a cover (also not shown) for admitting a supply of the ice into the interior of the bin. If desired, an ice-making machine may be mounted on the top of the bin and discharge directly with its interior. All walls of the bin are thermally insulated, as indicated in FIG. 2.

Bin front wall carries a hopper H through which ice is withdrawn from the bin, as required. The hopper comprises a pair of spaced parallel sides 17 and an inclined bottom 18,- all of which are also thermally insulated.

Positioned near the top-of the front wall is a transparent window 19 which permits of ready inspection of the ice supply in the, bin. This window is preferably made of a suitable synthetic resinous composition and may be readily opened or removed, as required.

The front wall is provided with a pair of spaced door catches 20. Each catch is mounted adjacent a corresponding side of window 19 and includes a resilient, generally V-shaped element 21 and a stop element 22 intermediate the V-shaped element and the outer surface of the front wall (FIG. 3). V

The storage bin also includes a pair of doors, namely an outer door D-1 and an inner door D-2. Door D-l is thermally insulated and serves as'the closure for hopper H. Door D-2 is made of a suitable material, such as heavy gauge stainless steel, and serves as a ramp or baffle for directing downward movementof sundered'ice within the bin or as an ice breaker to break up ice jams, depending on the amount and the conditionof the ice within the bin at a particular time.

Outer door D-l is hinged to bin front wall 149, as indicated at 23, for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. This door is provided with a pair of spaced devices 24- which are at least partially arcuate in configuration, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Each device 24 is aligned with and is adapted to engage a corresponding catch 26 when the door is swung to full open position (FIG. 3). Thus, devices 24 serve the dual functions of handles for the door and the latches for releasably engaging catches 20. V V a Door D-1 is also provided with a pair of spaced parallel hook elements or catches which are secured to and project beyond the inner surface of this vdoor. The

d f element 22, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Door D-1 maybe readily released from the catches by gripping at the top or on the sides and imparting a pull to the left, as viewed in FIG. 3.

Door D-2 is also hinged to front wall 10 for pivotal movement about a horizontalaxis 27. To this end, there is provided a hinge means 28 (FIGS..3 and 5). Axes 23 and 27 are parallel, axis 23 being located above axis 27. Door D-2 is adapted to be swung downwardly and then upwardly along the path represented by arcuate broken line arrow 29 (FIG. 2). q

During normal use, door D2 is maintained in the relative position shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6 by a pair of spaced latching means, each of vWhich comprises a latch 30 and a catch 31. Latch 30 includes an L-shaped member consisting of a flange 32, that is secured against the inner surface of the door by welding or in any other desired manner known to the art, and a flange 33, that is formed with an elongated slot 34.. The slot 'is defined in part by inner flange edges and 36 A latch lever 37 is'pivotally connected to flange 32, as indicated at 38, and projects through and beyondslot 34. The major part of the weight of lever 37 is to the right of pivot 38, as viewed in FIG; 6, and, consequently, the lever is normally biased in a clockwise direction by gravity to. the extent allowed by flange edge 35. It will be apparent that the lever may be conveniently swung in a counterclockwise direction about pivot 38 to the extent allowed, by flange edge 36-. Catch 31 is generally wedged-shaped and is afiixed against the inner surface of, a corresponding hopper side by screws or the like40. The catch includes an inclined upper surface 41 along which the outer end of the lever 37 is adapted to ride in the course of movement of door D-2 from open position (FIG. 3) to closed position (FIGS. 2 and 5).

While only one latching means, consisting of latch 30 and catch 31, is shown in the drawings, it'should' be born in mind that my preferred construction utilizes a second such latching means. The second latching means consists of another latch 30 thatis mounted along. the otherside edgeof door D-2 and a companion catch31 that is secured to the other hopper side 15.

function of catches 25 will be described further along the axis of hinge 23, as indicated by arcuate broken line arrow 26 in ,FIG. 2. As devices 24 approach catches 20, the operator removes his hands therefrom. Continued upward movement of the door causes devices 24 to engage and flex corresponding V-shaped elements 21 upwardly, thereby allowing the free end of each device 24 to enter the space between the apex of its element 21 and stop For the purpose of describing the operation of the illustrated door arrangement, it is first assumed that the parts are in the relative position shown in all views, except FIG. 3 and that the bin contains a supply of ice I. With the parts in this relative position, outer door Delis closed and forms 'an etfective seal with the opening defined by the hopper. Inner door D-Z is in its normal position and is inclined in a generally downward and inward direction. The inner,.door is releasably maintained in this position by engagement of latch levers 37 with corresponding catches 31, as shown. Door -D2 thus serves asa ramp 'to control downward movement of ice from thelupper portion of the bin to the lower portion (FIG. 2).

Door D4; is conveniently located so that'a user'may' partly open this door .and remove small amountsof ice position (FIG. 3) and is releasably maintained in open position by latch devices 24 and catches 20. Latch levers 37 are then disengaged from corresponding catches 31 and door D2 is also swung in a clockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 2 totheposition shown in FIG. 3. As door D-2 approaches theposition shown in FIG. 3, its latch levers 37 ride along and automatically effect locking engagement with hook catches 25 of the outer door, whereby the inner door is releasably coupled to the outer door.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be noted that hook catches 25 are adapted to travel along an arcuate path having a radius R-1 while latch levers 37 travel along a corresponding path having a radius R-Z which is longer than R-1.

Both doors automatically return from open position (FIG. 3) to closed position (FIG. 2) by merely releasing latch devices 24 from catches 20. This allows door D1 to swing in a counterclockwise direction by gravity. Due to the dilference in position of pivot axes 23 and 27 and the difference in length between radii R-1 and R-2, latch levers 37 become disengaged from hook catches 25 in the course of the indicated counterclockwise movement of door D1, thereby releasing door D2 from door D-l. This allows door D-2 to swing past catches 31 and reengagement of latch levers 37 with these catches (FIGS. 5 and 6).

In the event ice bridges or jams are created in the bin above door D-2 due to congealing and clustering, door D-Z may be used as a battering means to break up such bridges or jams. This is accomplished by imparting upward swinging force to door D-2 against the clustered ice.

The storage unit of this invention preferably includes three pairs of latching means, namely, a pair of first latching means, each consisting of a latch device 24 and a catch 20, for maintaining outer door D-1 in open position (FIG. 3); a pair of second latching means, each consisting of a latch 30 and a catch 25, for maintaining door D-2 in open position and in engagement with door D-1 when the latter is in open position (FIG. 3); and a pair of third latching means, each consisting of a latch 30 and a catch 31, for maintaining inner door D-2 in inner or closed position (FIG. 2). It will be observed that each latch 30 is a common part of corresponding second and third latching means.

It will be appreciated from this description and the drawings that the double door storage unit construction of the present invention overcomes the difiiculties and objections inherent in conventional storage units for ice and the like, and affords a number of benefits including:

(1) The parts are so constructed and arranged that ice, in relatively small quantities or large quantities, may be readily removed from the interior of the bin at a con venient working position regardless of the level of the ice within the bin.

(2) The possibility of ice spillage through the withdrawal opening is avoided, whether the outer door is in partial or fully opened position.

(3) The withdrawal opening may be of any desired practical width to afford requisite working room without danger of ice spillage therethrough. Also the effective size of the opening may be increased when the level of the ice in the bin is low, thereby permitting ready access to ice in the bottom of the bin.

(4) The ice introduced into the bin is removed on a first-in, first-out basis.

(5) Ice bridges and jams, due to congealing and cluster ing of the ice within the bin, may be easily broken by battering with the inner door without causing spillage.

(6) Both doors may be readily placed and releasably maintained in fully opened position.

(7) The inner door is automatically released from the outer door and returned to its normally closed position in the course of travel of the outer door from fully open position to closed position.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction, operation, objects and advantages of my present invention will be readily comprehended by persons skilled in the art Without further description. It is to be clearly understood, however, that various changes in the construction described above and illustrated in the drawings may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, it being intended that all matter contained in the description or shown in the drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a storage unit for ice or the like, a bin including a generally upstanding wall having a through opening formed therein, a first door connected to and movable relative to the wall about a first pivotal axis, said first door normally serving as a closure for the opening and being swing-able outwardly relative tothe bin about the first pivotal axis to open position, a second door connected to and movable relative to the wall about a. second pivotal axis, said second door being normally positioned between the first door and the interior of the bin and being swingable outwardly relative to the bin about the second pivotal axis, and latching means for releasably coupling the second door to the first door when the first door is in open position, said latching means being operable to uncouple the doors from each other in response to predetermined movement of the first door about the first pivotal axis in the course of travel of the first door from open position to closed position.

2. In a storage unit for ice or the like, a bin including a generally upstanding wall having a through opening formed therein, a first door connected to and movable relative to the wall about a first pivotal axis, said first door normally serving as a closure for the opening and being swingable outwardly relative to the bin about the first pivotal axis to open position, first latching means for releasably maintaining the first door in open position, a second door connected to and movable relative to the wall about a second pivotal axis, said second door being normally positioned between the first door and the interior of the bin and being swingable outwardly relative to the bin about the second pivotal axis, and second latching means for releasably coupling the second door to the first door when the first door is in open position, said second latching means being operable to uncouple the doors from each other in response to predetermined movement of the first door about the first pivotal axis in the course of travel of the first door from open to closed position.

3. A storage bin according to claim 2 wherein the first and second pivotal axes are spaced and parallel. '4. A storage bin according to claim 2 wherein the first and second pivotal axes are generally horizontal and parallel and wherein the first pivotal axis is above the second pivotal axis.

5. A storage bin according to claim 2 wherein the first latching means comprises a catch secured to the wall and a latch secured to the first door and engageable by the catch.

6. A storage bin according to claim 2 wherein the second latching means comprises a catch secured to the first door and a latch secured to the second door and engageable by the catch.

7. A storage bin according to claim 2 wherein the first latching means comprises a catch secured to the wall and a latch secured to the first door and engageable by the catch and wherein the second latching means comprises a second catch secured to the first door and a second latch secured to the second door and engageable by the second catch.

8. A storage bin according to claim 2 wherein the first and second pivotal axes are generally horizontal and parallel, wherein the first pivotal axis is above the second pivotal axis, wherein the first latching means comprises a catch secured to the wall and a latch secured to the first door and engageable by the catch and wherein the second latching means comprises a second catch secured to the first door and a second latch secured to the second door and engageable by the second catch.

9. A storage bin according to claim 2 including third latching means for maintaining the second door in a predetermined position relative to the bin when the second door is uncoupled from the first door,

10. A storage bin according to claim 9 wherein the second and third latching means include at least one common part.

11. A storage bin according to claim 10 wherein the first and second pivotal axes are generally horizontal and parallel and wherein the first pivotal axis is above the second pivotal axis.

12. A storage bin according to claim 10 wherein the.

first and second pivotal axes are generally horizontal and parallel, wherein the first pivotal axis is above the second pivotal axis, wherein the first latching means comprises a catch secured to the wall and a latch secured to the first door and engageable by the catch and wherein the second latching means comprises a second catch secured to the first door and a second latch secured to-the second door and engageable .by the second catch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,228,833 6/17 Schnucket 2.1. '222457 FOREIGN PATENTS 577,280 5/33 Germany.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A STORAGE UNIT FOR ICE OR THE LIKE, A BIN INCLUDING A GENERALLY UPSTANDING WALL HAVING A THROUGH OPENING FORMED THEREIN, A FIRST DOOR CONNECTED TO AND MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE WALL ABOUT A FIRST PIVOTAL AXIS, SAID FIRST DOOR NORMALLY SERVING AS A CLOSURE FOR THE OPENING AND BEING SWINGABLE OUTWARDY RELATIVE TO THE BIN ABOUT THE FIRST PIVOTAL AXIS TO OPEN POSITION, A SECOND DOOR CONNECTED TO AND MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE WALL ABOUT A SECOND PIVOTAL AXIS, SAID SECOND DOOR BEING NORMALLY POSITIONED BETWEEN THE FIRST DOOR AND THE INTERIOR OF THE BIN AND BEING SWINGEABLE OUTWARDLY RELATIVE TO THE BIN ABOUT THE SECOND PIVOTAL AXIS, AND LATCHING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY COUPLING THE SECOND DOOR TO THE FIRST DOOR WHEN THE FIRST DOOR IS OPEN POSITION, SAID LATCHING MEANS BEING OPER- 